Press & Pictures from Day 1

Well, I'm a fan of Plushenko so so far I only have news of him, some quotes of the Press Conference and a quote by Yagudin.
(Don't know Russian so most of it is through Online translation). And it's just the quotes, not the whole article

«I just want to say that I'm very happy with my performance today. I'm happy that I did a succesfully 4-3 at the beggining of the program and I'm very happy for my triple axel. I didn't go well with the lutz, I relaxed, lost focus, it was my fault. This will be a lesson for me. Was it difficult to skate first? You know, this morning while I was on my bed I started thinking about it: at the Olympic Games in Turin, during the short program I stated also at the beggining, in the second place. So did that had anything to do with it? No, it was just necessary to just skate well, so it was the same to me where I was going to skate. How would I rate my shape at the moment? I'm not on "my shape" yet, not right now. There's much to work before the Olympic Games in February, I should be on my shape then. For now, we go step by step, I'm happy with this first step in this ladded. I don't take into account my performance in Perm and St. Petersburg, it was not the same. It's different from an international start. Today in this ice palace it was impossible to skate badly, to make mistakes. It is in the air, you have to make it all, all the jumps, skate well. It's another type of excitment, other spirit, other atmosphere. There's more than just seats, there are audience in them"

"I'm not ready to lose, so I'll fight until the end"
"It is such an adrenaline! I've skated after doing only shows for a while and it is a huge difference. There you go and skate for yourself, for spectators, but the atmosphere is absolutely different than on competitions. You lack that intense feeling that you have to jump or lose"

"Of course I was nervous, like any other person would be. I'm not a robot, I'm just like you"

- I think, Evgene looked very well. He missed the lutz, it was nonsense, an accident, with a little more training, a little more speed on the footwork and the spins, to adjust it to the new syste and there won't be anyone like Plushenko in men skating today. I still think the best Plushenko was the on in 2001, where he was virtually invincible. In 2002, we went against each other and we were the same. And then Zhenia didn't have to try hard. I'm sured that even after his long break, he has the strength to win the Olympic Games in Vancouver.

Evgeni Plushenko: Today I received the invitation to comepte at the Grand Prix Skate America in the U.S. - and this is a serious challenge

Today, 23 October, in Moscow, started the second stage of the Grand Prix of Figure Skating - Rostelecom Cup. Olympic champion in 2006 Russia's Evgeny Plushenko opened the short program in men figure skating, receiving a total 82.25 points. Officially this is the second best result of the world after Japanese Daisuke Takahashi (83.23), shown at the Finlandia Trophy tournament on October 9. The excitment was shown at the press conference of the event.

This kind of chaos, the Palace of Sports Megasport has not seen in a long time - if ever, given its short history. You could see at the press conference, journalist sitting on the floor in the aisles, and the voices of the athletes could not be heard because of the clicking of the camera lens. "Return of the King" attests the leading performance in the short program of Evgeni Plushenko. Turin Olympic champion showed again his seriousness of his intentions to return to sports. Apparently, relaxed in the atmosphere of universal veneration, Plushenko allowed himself to open up a bit.

- Many people asked me in spring: "Why do you do it? Again the exercise, the stress, the work ... After you have it all - money, fame, all the titles - in fact you won everything in figure skating! Why do you want to go again? - Recalled the skater. - I was just so bored ... There was lack of emotions, struggle, inner-discipline, goal. Or, as my coach, Aleksei Mishin says, I just decided to extend my youth (smiles). Well, I'm only 26 years old, why should not I still compete?

- By the way, today I received the invitation to skate at the Grand Prix Skate America in the U.S. - Plushenko as casually said sensational news by giving the conversation a new direction. - Usually, there appear all the leading men from North America. This is a serious challenge. After Rostelecom Cup, along my coach we will think about it. Personally, I'd love to go! It's not part of my official start: the championship of Russia, the European Championship, then the Olympic Games. Only about March, for the World championships, to be honest, I'm not thinking about it. We'll see. But I came back, and it's already possible to say that 100%. Thanks for that to my friends and my enemies.

These words of the press center, naturally, accompanied by applause. Ovation, possibly scheduled for tomorrow - after the long program. But it depends very much on Plushenko.

No, Plushenko is not headed to Skate America. That's what U.S. Figure Skating publicist Scottie Bibb told me after I emailed her to ask about the rumors that began hitting figure skating message boards as soon as the Russian finished his short program. When a Skate America spot opened up recently after Takahito Mura of Japan withdrew, it was filled with Igor Macypura of Slovakia.

Can people can their facts straight? Then why was Plushenko talking about it, today, in the press conference?

- I think, Evgene looked very well. He missed the lutz, it was nonsense, an accident, with a little more training, a little more speed on the footwork and the spins, to adjust it to the new syste and there won't be anyone like Plushenko in men skating today. I still think the best Plushenko was the on in 2001, where he was virtually invincible. In 2002, we went against each other and we were the same. And then Zhenia didn't have to try hard. I'm sured that even after his long break, he has the strength to win the Olympic Games in Vancouver.

Thanks for this update. I very much agree with Alexei.. For me, plush was at his best during 01-02 too but even today, I enjoyed him more than anyone else. Thats the mark of a true FS legend I suppose. Im sure Alexei felt bitter watching this though, cos his whole competitive life was cut short.. How many more wonders he would've created, that we will never know..